Balloons over Bagan

Wonderful thing to do while in Bagan. The feeling when you are up in the air and see the whole Bagan, it’s amazing. A bit pricy but totally worth it. Great service, safe and fun!

Initially I was sceptical about hot air balloon ride and the reason behind it was the cost. It is quite an expensive thing to do in Myanmar & the most expensive than any other balloon ride in the entire world. But after discussing with few of the fellow travellers, I decided to do it and. Hot air ballooning with baloons over bagan was an amazing experience. You get a 360-degree panoramic view of Bagan. You can also see most of the iconic & ancient temples of Bagan with a birds eye view. If you are in Bagan, then you should definitely try hot air ballooning. Thanks a lot for the great experience balloons over bagan.

Our absolut highlight of the Myanmar trip. I was hesitant because of the hefty pricetag, but in the end it was worth every dollar. Very high level of professionalism, stylish from the early morning pick up to the breakfast afterwards. Dont miss this experience, when you are there once in your lifetime!

An excellent experience worth paying for. I like how there is sufficient emphasis placed on safety, where there are safety briefings given. My day started at 5.30am where I was picked up at my hotel and brought to the launch area. While waiting for the balloon to inflate, I had tea and biscuits. Toilets on-site are also clean. Once on the balloon, safety procedures are practised. Once in the air, it was quite an experience seeing the temples beneath us. The pilot skilfully rotated the balloon so that we could have a different view each time. It was also rather cold up there, so it's important to be layered up. Upon landing, a champagne breakfast awaited. The food was very good, provided by the local restaurant Sharkey's. Locally made salami and cheese and their absolute eggs dish. Overall, the experience has been very memorable. My day ended at about 8.45am where I was sent back to my hotel.

If you're on the fence about doing a balloon ride over Bagan, just do it! We weren't 100% sure if we would do it, but decided last minute to book a flight with Balloon Over Bagan and it was well worth it!! The entire crew was fantastic and the flight was seamless! Although there are no Burmese pilots at the moment, Balloons Over Bagan is in the process of training local pilots so that in a few years they will be qualified and have the experience to fly themselves. Out of the three companies that offer a flight, I would recommend B.O.B. because they really take care of their guests!

A once-in-a-lifetime experience with Balloons Over Bagan, with a wonderful flight over the temple-strewn plains of Bagan at dawn. Impressed with the professional operation, the enthusiasm and service-orientation of the staff, and the attention to detail which ensured I will long remember the event, from the early morning pick up from my hotel in darkness and the chill of the night, through to the transfer to the launch site in an old style vintage bus fitted with comfortable padded seats. We were greeted on arrival by the pilot Shaun from USA and the keen crew, and once we’d all arrived, there was a safety and pre-flight briefing to ensure we all knew what to expect and how to behave during the preparation and flight, and on landing. It was thrilling to watch the balloons all inflate and then stand upright, as I sipped brew coffee and noticed the east brightening. After some other balloons were dispatched, it was our turn to lift off, and in no time could we enjoy the views and panoramas, watching the sun spill over the distant hills and cast its glow onto the stupas and temples of the vast Bagan plain. Smooth, silent (apart from the warm blast of hot air every so often), the flight was quite special, gliding over the landscape, and then further on, over farmland, giving a perspective over the area not possible to appreciate from the land. Landing was gentle, the pilot guiding the balloon between two trees, and after repositioning the craft, we disembarked (the crew helped us get out of the basket) to enjoy champagne and croissants, and banana bread. We were given a hat and a certificate, with links to download group photos taken from the voyage. Back in my hotel by 8.30am. What a brilliant way to start the day!

Safe. Experts. Once in a life time experience. Would recommend to splurge on the VIP package. If you're going to pay already that much for the balloon ride might as well go all the way. VIP price includes: - pick up and drop back at your hotel in a really cool old bus, - coffee/tea at arrival while waiting for things to be setup, - experienced pilots (with over +1000hours of flight) - 8 people in the balloon (VIP package) or 16 people (normal price). Sometimes when there's not a lot of people you can pay normal price and get less then 16 people. - VIP package highlight is the breakfast set up in the field. At the landing of the hot balloon the staff set up a breakfast table with champagne (more than one glass per person) and fresh juice of the season. One croissant and 2 eggs per person with some cheese (truffle Brie) and Iberico Ham on the table. Some photos are taken by the gopro attached to each hot-air balloons and available on the website for free. Overall great service. Would definitely recommend Ballons over Bagan service for their professionalism, great attention to safety measures, knowledge of the local landscape, and most importantly effort put towards the local community. They invest a lot in the local communities since 20 years now.

The highlight of my stay in Bagan! Book directly with them as the hotels appear to add a handling fee. I was in a cabin for 16 people - subdivided in four corners - their standard trip and we had sufficient space and a lot of fun! Pre-flight there is coffee and tea and a very clear instruction on what to do and not to do. Up in the air, our pilot, Mike, pointed out sights, told us about the history of hot air ballooning in Bagan - they started it 20 years ago - as well as their impact on the local community. Even though the season only last for 6 months per year their local staff of 200 is employed and paid throughout the year. The landing was as smooth as butter and after the flight we had drinks, croissants and cake. At the time of this review they are also offering a promotion of another hot air ballon flight at Inle Lake, much higher up at 8-10 thousand feet, at a reduced price.